Sofia, June 10 (BTA) - European chief Prosecutor Laura Kovesi
arrives on a visit to Bulgaria on Thursday, the press office of
the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) confirmed.

 
The European Public Prosecutor's Office began work on June 1.
Twenty-two EU member countries participate in the enhanced
cooperation. Bulgaria is he first country, which Kovesi is
visiting. Bulgaria is represented on the EPPO Colleges by
European prosecutor Teodora Georgieva (elected last July) and
another four delegated prosecutors.

On Thursday afternoon, she met first with caretaker Justice
Minister Yanaki Stoilov and his team, the Justice Ministry
reported. During the meeting, Kovesi said that it is very
important that Bulgaria meets the high requirements and fill its
 quota of delegated prosecutors as soon as possible. She also
underscored that Bulgaria's prosecuting magistracy is obliged to
 elect ten persons, and that is not subject to discussion.
 
In early February the Prosecutor's College of the Supreme
Judicial Council elected ten candidates for European delegated
prosecutors. Of these only four were elected: Dimiter Belichev,
Boyko Kalfin, Svetlana Shopova and Veronika Trifonova. Kovesi
requested from Bulgaria to fill in the quota but the College
suspended the ongoing election procedure as none of the
remaining six candidates received six or more votes as is the
rule.
   
During Thursday's meeting with Kovesi, Minister Stoilov said
that he had informed the Supreme Judicial Council of the
expectations to elect six more European delegated prosecutors.

Kovesi and Stoilov also discussed the topic of specialized
justice. According to Kovesi, the matter is under discussion in
the EU, and there is no universal model to it. In her opinion,
it is a political question that depends on the vision of every
individual justice minister. In her words, investigations
against high-ranking officials must be concluded quickly, which
would be beneficial to themselves, the prosecuting magistracy
and the public.

Minister Stoilov expressed readiness for cooperation with the EU
 prosecution service.

Later, Kovesi met with Bulgaria's Prosecutor General Ivan
Geshev, his press office reported.
    
The meeting was attended by Geshev's deputies Daniela Masheva,
Krassimira Filipova, Dessislava Pironeva and Prosecutor Kamen
Mihov of the Supreme Court of Cassation's department dealing
with EU funding fraud and cooperation with the European Public
Prosecutor's Office, represented at the meeting by Bulgarian
representative Teodora Georgieva, head of Kovesi's cabinet Milan
 Yaron and her spokesperson Tine Hollevoet, the release reads.

On Friday, Kovesi will give a press conference at Sofia's House
of Europe.

RY, NV/PP, MT